Pindi’s virus tally soars past 1,000

Most of Covid-19 infections reported in Rawal Town and cantonment areas

RAWALPINDI: The number of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in the garrison city crossed the 1,000 mark on Tuesday with Rawal Town and Cantonment Board areas accounting for the most cases.

A daily situation report issued by the Punjab Directorate of Public Relations (DPR) on Tuesday read that around 4,242 suspected Covid-19 patients have been brought to the quarantine facilities set up across the district or who have been quarantined at home. Of these, 1,068 people have tested positive for the virus. As many as 257 infected patients were discharged after making a full recovery. “Around 55 coronavirus patients died in the district,” the report added.

THe daily situation report stated that as many as 376 Covid-19 patients were admitted to different hospitals of the city. Of these, 145 hailed from Rawal Town, 91 from Rawalpindi Cantonment, 70 from Potohar Town, 25 from Gujjar Khan, 32 from Taxila, five from Kahuta, five from Murree and three from Kallar Sayedan.

Test results of 2,623 suspected patients came back negative while reports of another 656 are awaited, it said. The DPR said that as many as 380 patients were quarantined in isolation at their homes.

Residents of the garrison city have been advised not to visit the Kalyam Awan tehsil of Gujjar Khan, Dheri Hassanabad, Dhoke Paracha, Dhoke Ratta, Dhoke Mangtal, Ammar Pura, Zafarul Haq Road, Satellite Town and Wah Cantt areas as several positive cases were reported from these areas.

Meanwhile Rawalpindi District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Sohail Chaudary said that they were continuing disinfection drives in different areas of the district, especially where cases were reported.

4 rescuers infected

As many as four Rescue 1122 workers have been infected from Covid-19 in Rawalpindi, while 10 rescuers have been infected across the province.

Punjab Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Deeba told The Express Tribune of those who contracted coronavirus, four hail from Rawalpindi, three from Lahore and one each from Sargodha, Lodhran, and Raheem Yar Khan.

She added that four of these have already recovered from the virus and have returned to their homes, including two Rescue 1122 workers in Lahore and once each from Rawalpindi and Raheem Yar Khan.

Rescuers perform one of the critical duties which include shifting infected or suspected patients to hospitals or moving victims of the pandemic to burial sites. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2020.